LOT Polish Airlines (Warsaw) has moved up its resumption of Boeing 787 services now to June 1. The flag carrier will resume 787 flights on this date between Warsaw and New York (JFK). The previous date of resumption was June 5.
LOT is also celebrating the 40th anniversary of the Warsaw-New York route.
Copyright Photo: Terry Wade/AirlinersGallery.com.ย Boeing 787-8 SP-LRA (msn 35938) prepares to land at London (Heathrow) before the grounding.
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LOT Polish Airlines (Warsaw) is wet leasing an Airbus A330-200 from Hifly (Lisbon) until at least the end of May to replace its grounded Boeing 787-8s according to Air Journal. The leased aircraft will be operated to New York (JFK) and Chicago (O’Hare).
LOT will also be asking Boeing for additional compensation for its grounded fleet.
Copyright Photo: Antony J. Best.ย LOT Polish Airlines Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner SP-LRA (msn 35938) prepares to land at London (Heathrow) when it was flying.
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The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) (Washington) has grounded all N-numbered Boeing 787s (United Airlines is the only U.S. operator) due to the on-going problems with the batteries. The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration issued an emergency airworthiness directive that requires U.S. 787 operators to temporarily cease operations. According to this report by Reuters, “the FAA said airlines would have to demonstrate that the batteries involved were safe before they could resume flying, but gave no details on when that could occur.”
Read the full report: CLICK HERE
Boeing issued the following statement:
Boeing Chairman, President and CEO Jim McNerney issued the following statement after the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) issued an emergency airworthiness directive that requires U.S. 787 operators to temporarily cease operations and recommends other regulatory agencies to follow suit:
“The safety of passengers and crew members who fly aboard Boeing airplanes is our highest priority.
“Boeing is committed to supporting the FAA and finding answers as quickly as possible. The company is working around the clock with its customers and the various regulatory and investigative authorities. We will make available the entire resources of The Boeing Company to assist.
“We are confident the 787 is safe and we stand behind its overall integrity.ย We will be taking every necessary step in the coming days to assure our customers and the traveling public of the 787’s safety and to return the airplanes to service.
“Boeing deeply regrets the impact that recent events have had on the operating schedules of our customers and the inconvenience to them and their passengers.”
This is the major issue for Boeing and its 787 customers. It also raises questions about the FAA certification process.
Here is a list of how other countries and operators are reacting:
EASA (Europe) will follow the FAA and ground the aircraft according to Reuters: CLICK HERE
Japan has grounded the 787s of ANA and JAL (who had already grounded their fleets): CLICK HERE. JAL is also canceling the new Tokyo-San Diego route.
LAN Airlines grounded its three 787-8s: CLICK HERE
Qatar Airways has grounded its five 787-8s. Read the report by Reuters: CLICK HERE
United Airlines grounded its 787-8s and substituted other aircraft for the 787 flights or rebooked its customers.
Meanwhile LOT Polish Airlines (Warsaw) wins the “worst timing award” for its press release and the Chicago O’Hare inaugural flight. Right before the FAA grounded the aircraft, the Polish airline issued the following announcement:
LOT Polish Airlines will inaugurate new 787 Dreamliner nonstop service from Chicago to Warsaw on Wednesday, January 16, and make aviation history as the first airline with scheduled Dreamliner service from Chicago’s O’Hare Airport.
LOT is the first European carrier to operate the Dreamliner with a total of eight aircraft to be in their fleet.ย LOT’s Dreamliner inaugural flight from Chicago to Warsaw is followed closely by Toronto on February 1 and New York’s JFK on February 3.
LOT’s inbound Dreamliner special flight from Warsaw is scheduled to touch down at Chicago’s O’Hare airport at 6:55 p.m. ย The Dreamliner trip from Chicago will depart at 9:55 p.m., and arrive the next day in Warsaw at 1:50 p.m.ย Typically the flight will depart Warsaw at 5:25 p.m. and arrives in Chicago at 9:20 a.m. the same day.ย The flights were previously operated with Boeing 767s.
LOT’s Dreamliner has 18 seats in Elite Club (business class), 21 in Premium Club (premium economy) plus 213 seats in economy class.
In preparation for the Dreamliner flights, LOT has implemented a new design inspired by traditional and famous symbols of Poland. This design is reflected in the new aircraft interiors, inflight menus with its new selection of beverages, on-board equipment, toys for children and other amenities. The quality of service offered is an additional asset with specially trained Elite Fleet cabin crews, new comfortable classes of service-Elite Club and Premium Club- as well as the unique product on board the aircraft.
January 16, 2013 will probably go down in history as the darkest day for the Boeing Aircraft Company. William E. Boeing is probably rolling in his grave.
Copyright Photo: Antony J. Best. Boeing 787-8 SP-LRA (msn 35938) lands at London (Heathrow) prior to the grounding.
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LOT Polish Airlines (Warsaw), because of its continued financial losses, is going to shrink in size according to this report by the Wall Street Journal. The carrier is phasing out its Boeing 737s and 767s. The Polish government, which controls 93 percent of the stock, issued $127 million in emergency loans to the struggling state carrier on December 21 to keep it out of bankruptcy. This loan, which may still be deemed illegal state aid by the European Commission, is keeping the airline aloft. The Polish government is restructuring the airline and only the most profitable routes will be kept. One half of the fleet is expected to be returned to the lessors according to the article.
Read the full report: CLICK HERE
Copyright Photo: Terry Wade. LOT is proud to be the first operator of the Boeing 787 Dreamliner in Europe but will it be able to continue to operate the new type? The 787 is planned to be assigned to the carrier’s long-range routes if those routes can be maintained with the restructuring. The first 787-8, SP-LRA (msn 35938) prepares to touch down at London (Heathrow) on its first visit.
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LOT Polish Airlines (Warsaw) put its first Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner (SP-LRA, msn 35938) into revenue service today (December 14). The company issued the following statement:
At 8:00 a.m. today, LOT Polish Airlines Boeing 787 Dreamliner SP-LRA took off from the Chopin Airport in Warsaw on its first scheduled flight to Prague. It is the first commercial flight of the LOT Dreamliner (and the first by an European carrier).
Flight LO 523 from Warsaw to Prague lasted 57 minutes. On board there were 175 passengers for whom LOT had prepared special certificates commemorating this first extraordinary flight. For the return flight, 149 passengers have been booked. The plane is planned to take off from Prague airport at 10:05 a.m. and is scheduled to arrive in Warsaw at 11:10 a.m.
The Dreamliner will fly to Prague on selected dates from mid-December to mid-January, 2013. The upcoming flights are scheduled to operate on December 15, 16, 18, 19, 20 and 28. The four remaining dates are January 2, 11, 12 and 14, 2013.
The flight to Prague kicked off a series of promotional flights in Europe, at which time the Dreamliner will visit nine European cities in total: Prague, London, Vienna, Munich, Frankfurt, Hannover, Kiev, Budapest and Brussels.
Copyright Photo: Gordon Stretch. The cabin of SP-LRA is seen on one of the promotional flights in Europe.
We have decided to operate the first Dreamliner flight to Prague, as it is a one-hour flight only from Warsaw and it seems ideal for the first “neighborly” visit of LOT Dreamliner in Europe. Actually, it will not be the only flight to Prague โ the Dreamliner will visit the Czech capital a number of times โ says Zbigniew Mazur, acting LOT CEO. I am glad passengers from the Czech Republic will be the first to experience the comfort of travel on board the world’s most modern passenger plane belonging to the Polish carrier โ adds Zbigniew Mazur.
As we have mentioned previously, the first trans-Atlantic flight of LOT Dreamliner will be operated to Chicago (O’Hare) on January 16, 2013. Its next destination will be Toronto (Pearson) on February 1, 2013. On February 3, passengers will fly aboard the Dreamliner to New York (JFK), and Beijing will welcome the LOT Boeing 787 one month later on March 3, 2013.
In other news on the financial side, LOT Polish has requested state financial aid. According to this report by the Wall Street Journal,ย LOT Polish Airlines has filed a request for state aid, the first installment of 400 million zlotys ($125 million) according to the Polish government. LOT, which was close to bankruptcy in 2009, lost money in 2011 and is expected to post another loss for 2012. The CEO of the company has resigned.
Read the full report: CLICK HERE
Copyright Photo: Nick Dean. Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner SP-LRA is seen at Paine Field near Everett prior to the official handover.
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LOT Polish Airlines (Warsaw) and Boeing yesterday (November 14) celebrated the delivery of the airline’s first Boeing 787 Dreamliner.ย The Polish carrier is the first European airline to take delivery of the 787.
Senior LOT and Boeing executives, as well as Polish and US government officials, celebrated the historic delivery at an event at the Future of Flight Aviation Center in Mukilteo, Washington, nearย Boeing’s 787 final assembly plant in Everett.
LOT will operate the 787 on short-haul flights across Europe in December, and will introduce the Dreamliner on its long-haul passenger service from Warsaw to Chicago in January 2013.ย LOT will also use the 787 to operate routes from Warsaw to New York (JFK), Toronto (Pearson) and Beijing.
The 787 Dreamliner is composed of light-weight composites and features numerous systems, engine and aerodynamic advancements, making it more efficient to operate compared with its competition. It is the first mid-sized airplane capable of flying long-range routes, providing airlines with unprecedented fuel economy and low operating costs and enabling airlines to open new, non-stop routes preferred by passengers.
This delivery is the first of eight Dreamliners that LOT has on order. The cabin is configured with 18 Elite Club seats (Business Class), 21 Premium Club seats (Premium Economy) and 213 seats in Economy Class.ย Customers will experience unparalleled levels of comfort with the 787’s improved lighting, bigger windows, larger overhead bins, lower cabin altitude and enhanced ventilation systems, among otherย features.
LOT’s first Dreamliner, the pictured 787-8 SP-LRA (msn 35938, ex N1026G) has landed in Warsaw this morning, Thursday, November 15, where LOT is celebrating the 787’s arrival into its fleet with a reception led by the airline and Poland’s prime minister Donald Tusk.
Copyright Photo: Nick Dean. 787-8 SP-LRA is seen at Everett (Paine Field) before the official hand over.
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